January Book Club Review

As part of my blogging this year, I thought I would give you a quick book review on my Bookclub book. This idea helps me - again - finish something that I have not been doing.

Each year my friends and I get together and select 11 books we will read during the year. It was sorta my brainchild, so I usually organize it. However, I never get around to finishing - or even beginning - our book club book, until after the month is over. And I can't figure why; it's not like I don't have the time - while working full time, mothering my 2 girls, teaching Relief Society, working with my Camp committee, as I'm Stake Camp Director, or writing and editing a book in my "SPARE" time, and still manage to shower in there somewhere. And I all know you wonder how I keep my house so sparkling... Enough griping - I FINISHED THE BOOK THIS MONTH and I'd like you to hear what I have to say...


HOOT by Carl Hiaasen

First, I guess there is a movie about this, but I haven't seen it. About a boy, Roy, with his friend Beatrice and Mullet Fingers (Yes, you read that right), try to save protected burrowing Owls from getting smothered by the construction of a Mother Paula's American Pancake House.

• I really was delighted with this book. It is simple reading - you could finish it in an afternoon, I imagine - and the idea is predictable, but that isn't the point: what is delightful about it was the way it was written. The author has a great crafting of words. He conveyed a visual image in simplicity - using zipped and trudge as examples. I love it when the crafting is good. I liked really reading it.
  
• And it was really funny. I was sitting in te U hospital cafeteria and I started laughing outloud at what I had just read. People thought I was nuts...
• I like the relationship of the Eberhardt family. There was a layer of trust that the parents had and Roy didn't ever want to lose that trust. He honored his parents and didn't like the idea of disappointing them Ah... if all parenting sounded this simple.
• I also, liked the message. There are dozens of enviromental stories out there, telling you this and that about saving... whatever... but this wasn't heavy and it didn't go out to take over your way of thinking, it more stated, that with small actions, you can make a big differance. And that can go with anything.

I recommend it. And it makes me want to read more from this author - He wrotes things for adults too. Just sayin...

The Snack Troll Returns

The other morning I woke up to my two girls sitting in front of the television with a big box of candy and tons of wrappers all over the ground.

The "Big Box of Candy" is placed above my sink high out of reach of these two monkeys, meant to "Reward" those that clean or be nice. In the past, when Mia was younger, we had who we called "THE SNACK TROLL" who guard the snacks and we had to ask permission to have any snacks. I hadn't thought of him for a while now, forgetting how fun it was to have a troll in our home.

So when I asked, "How did you get the candy down?" I wasn't expecting to hear from Mia, my 6 yr old...

"I moved over the stool and stood on the counter, but I had to get on my tippy-toes to reach the box and almost dropped it."

"But who said you could have some?"

"Well, I asked the Snack Troll - in my mind - and he said I could have some."

"I didn't know he was around."

"Yeah, he's back from visiting his cousin The Garbage Troll."

"And where does the Garbage Troll live?"

"In our basement with all the trash."

Couldn't argue with that.

Just a quick update..

I fell like I'm going crazy. I haven't done much since my sister - bless her - has come into town. I've been partying a lot.

Her is an update on my book progress. My word count - which I am trying to get down to a reasonable reading count has gone back up. I got it down to 131,510 from 144,000. Good job for me. Well, now it's up again to 131,554!!

Not much of an improvement, but not too bad. Of course I've only got to chapter 14 out of 50. and this month is going by really quickly. Well, back to work...

Listening to the sound... of Razzberries pssttt.....

Here is my first blog of this year - so far I love 2010. 2009 is way in the past. And to make you all jealous - I'm eating a Reese's Peanut Butter Christmas Tree...

I bought Kevin a sound effects machine for Christmas. Unfortunately it came from England and arrived 2 days after Christmas. We have had a blast with it. I've never enjoyed Harry Potter 6 so much than watching it with the sound machine.

Examples:

Harry and Ginny Kiss - Whistle
Ron says anything - waw wah
Draco and Harry duel - Window Crashing
Ron and Lavendar - Gun shot
Harry uses the Felix Felisus - Light bulb

It's been so much fun.

Here is a video of the girls enjoying the sound machine.... They crack me up.

Julie and Julia vs. Candie and Vivatera

Here's to a New Year...

I was watching Julie and Julia, which I really liked by the way, and I got inspired by some of the things in it, mostly that the main girl "Julie" an aspiring writer, had a blog and wrote some very interesting stuff that people liked.

I am not "Julie" and I don't particularly have anything interesting to say. But as part of my resolutions this year, I have decided to keep up on my blog. There are a few reasons for this.

1. I'm funny!

2. I need motivation to finish some of the major things that I have been doing lately.

3. Regardless of who reads this, and I have very few, I need to get my name out there. It won't be long before I will... and let me explain.

Back in 2006 I got an idea for a book. I wrote out a timeline, some character sketches, a few chapters and then I had a baby and didn't touch anything for about eighteen months. In October 2007 I hosted a book club where we read "Twilight." In the event of this action I decided to start writing on my book again. I was inspired by the sheer simplicity of the book and thought "If I had written this book I would've done so many things differently." Instead of eating my words, I put my words into action and continued on my book. I fell in love with the characters and creating. July 31st 2008 I finished my book. January 2009 I finished my rewrite of my book, in the summer of 2009 I had my book edited, then read it out loud and rewrote it some more... and finally... I am rewriting it again.

So it would be something to write a book, but when you have to rewrite a book 5 times you start to loose your mind. I'm doing a final draft and am not touching it. I'm designing it to sell on Amazon.com as a print-on-demand, but I also have an idea.

As a member of Goodreads.com, I see how fast word travels about books. So I'm going to do an experiment and set up my book on Goodreads, and put it as a book I'm reading... and I want to see where it travels. This is also a good tactic to sell my book to publishers. I tried (and am still trying) to sell my book, the olde fashioned way, but with the networking we have now, is that necessary? I'd love to have someone buy it and mangle it into a beautiful piece of art, but these first editions will be much more personal - my gift to you.

I have a goal of 3 months. Think I can do it? I want to do it before my sister-in-law Kris has her baby, but that is unrealistic, so I will set it at March 31st to have it marketed on Amazon. This is nothing like the year JuliePowell spent cooking with Julia Child, this is a much more realistic goal for me. I had a goal of writing a book, now I want to share my book.

So wish me luck!